1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laundry appliance and more particularly to a brake mechanism for a spin basket.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Brake mechanism for a laundry appliance to stop rotation of a spin basket should loss of input power occur are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,639,618; 2,845,156 and 2,844,225. U.S. Pat. No. 2,639,618 discloses a laundry appliance brake having brake shoes which are pivotable about a common point. U.S. Pat. No. 2,845,156 utilizes a brake band which is moved into frictional engagement with a portion of the spin basket by means of engagement with a single rotatable pawl. U.S. Pat. No. 2,844,225 also discloses a brake utilizing a continuous brake band which is also actuated by a single rotating pawl, however, the pawl rotates about an axis normal to the axis of rotation of the spin basket.
A gripping means comprising a number of pivotable pawls which are moved into engagement with a surface of rotation of an irregularly shaped cam which is rotated to bring the pawls into engagement with a surface to be rotated is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,040,854.